A sailor who was meant to be on the doomed San Juan submarine was saved when he got off when his mother became ill three days before the vessel began its last journey, it emerged today.
Rene Humberto Vilte was a confirmed crew member on the ARA San Juan, which vanished last Wednesday on its way back to the Mar del Plata Naval base, and was even initally listed as one of those missing.
But in fact he had reluctantly disembarked as the sub prepared to make the trip from Usuahia, in Tierra del Fuego in the Southern tip of South America, after receiving news that his mother was in hospital.
Rene Humberto Vilte was a confirmed crew member on the ARA San Juan, which vanished last Wednesday
Lost: The ARA San Juan (pictured) has been missing for more than a week after reporting a fault before dropping out of communications
The sailor rushed to the hospital in Jujuy to be at the side of his sick mother, who has since recovered, before returning to his home in Mar del Plata by plane.
Vilte is said to be in shock but says his mother has given him ‘life for the second time’. She has since recovered
Relatives claim to have been told yesterday that all 44 on board the died after the doomed vessel lost contact last week.
With the crew one man down, another person was reportedly called up to take his place.
His last minute replacement is believed to be Jorge Luis Mealla, who reportedly called his parents to tell them he had been told to reboard the submarine.
As the submarine began its mission, Rene rushed to the hospital in Jujuy to be at the side of his sick mother, who has since recovered, before returning to his home in Mar del Plata by plane.
Rene’s friend Anabella told Argentina´s La Nacion newspaper: ‘He says that his mother gave him life for the second time.
‘He is in shock, he can’t believe what has happened and how close he came to death.
‘I spoke to him on the day his photo was published among those who were on the missing submarine. I saw his name and picture on the lists, it was terrible, so distressing.
‘He told me he had been on the crew, but that he had got off to see his mother.’
Vilte has changed is Facebook profile in memory of his comrades missing on the San Juan
His name was later removed when the list of missing was updated.
Another friend, Carolina, told the newspaper: ‘Instead of going on with the other crew members he had stayed in Usuahia, because of his mother’s health problem.
‘He told me he was fine physically but was very worried about his colleagues and friends.’
Rene, known as Beto to his friends, studied at Argentina’s School of Submarines and Diving before entering the Navy.
The submariner has not commented on his escape and friends say they have been able to contact him, but today (fri) he updated he posted a black ribbon on the Navy logo on his Facebook page.
Zulma Burgos, the mother of Jorge Mealla who replaced Rene on the tragic submarine today said: ‘My son set off from Mar del Prata and called me at Ushuaia to tell me that he was boarding again.
‘Nobody told us officially that he was replacing somebody who had got off in Tierra del Fuego.’